Reuters/Beirut


Syrian President Bashar al-Assad rejected peace talks with his enemies yesterday in a defiant speech that his opponents described as a renewed declaration of war.
Although the speech was billed as the unveiling of a new peace plan, Assad offered no concessions and even appeared to harden many of his positions. He rallied Syrians for “a war to defend the nation” and disparaged the prospect of negotiations.
“We do not reject political dialogue ... but with whom should we hold a dialogue?” Assad asked supporters who packed Damascus Opera House.
It was his first public speech to an audience in six months. Since the last, rebels have reached the capital’s outskirts.
George Sabra, vice president of the opposition National Coalition, said the peace plan Assad put at the heart of his speech did “not even deserve to be called an initiative”.
“We should see it rather as a declaration that he will continue his war against the Syrian people,” he said.
“The appropriate response is to continue to resist this unacceptable regime and for the Free Syrian Army to continue its work in liberating Syria until every inch of land is free.”
Assad’s foreign foes were scornful and dismissive of the speech: “His remarks are just repetitions of what he’s said all along,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “empty promises of reform fool no one”.
The US State Department dismissed Assad’s speech as a meaningless attempt to retain power in his war-torn country and urged the beleaguered strongman to step down.